“They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.”
2 Peter 2:14 NLT
This is an uncomfortable verse, particularly for us men. Our eyes, rather what we see, can potentially lead us into sexual sin, because anything with visual appeal can tempt us. In the context of this verse in 2 Peter, he is referring to the visual appeal of a woman to a man, and how the initial glance can develop into something more extensive, intrusive, and even sinful. As we read in Genesis 2, under what seemed to be general anaesthetic, God removed one of Adam’s ribs and created a woman from it. And in Genesis 2:23 we read Adam’s response, ““At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”” I think the Bible translators may have played down the excitement Adam felt when he saw his new companion! But as usual, our enemy, the devil, has come along and corrupted something that God intended for purity.
The Bible has several examples of what Peter was warning against. We remember David, and his episode with Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 11:2, “Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath“. Overlooking the thought of why a woman was bathing in public, and at a time when he should have been out doing battle with his enemies, David was lingering at home with time on his hands. His initial and casual glance exploded into a web of deceit and the death of a good brave soldier. After Uriah’s (Bathsheba’s husband’s) death we read in 2 Samuel 11 27, “When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done“. God then sent the prophet Nathan to face David with his crime (a brave act because prophets usually didn’t survive for too long with such a confrontative word), to warn him that God had brought a curse over him and his household. 2 Samuel 12:10-12, “From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”” The child from the liaison with Bathsheba unfortunately died. David, full of remorse, wrote the Psalm we know so well. “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. … Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just” (Psalm 51:1,4). In this Psalm, the thing David feared most was a barrier between him and God. “Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me” was his prayer (Psalm 51:11).
Jesus taught about the dangers of the lusts of the eyes. Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The Pharisees would have felt very righteous in themselves because they, rightly, could claim that they had never committed adultery. The seventh commandment, “You must not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14) would have been very well known to them. But Jesus raised the bar to an extent that it would have brought condemnation to their doors. Even if they did not commit the act of adultery, did they perhaps have thoughts focused in that direction?
But fast forward to living in the 21st Century, with its easy access to all sorts of forbidden “fruits” via internet pornography sites and printed magazines. The Psalmist wrote a timeless verse, Psalm 119:9, “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.” A verse that applied in Old Testament days just as much as it does today, and a verse that applies to men of all ages, not just the young. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:22-24). There is a saying, regarding temptation, “You can’t stop birds flying over your head, but you can stop them nesting in your hair”.
So what do we men do about the “lusts of our eyes”. As the Psalmist said, obedience to God and His Word is a good start, and the Holy Spirit will assist us on our journey. Jesus said in Matthew 5:29, “So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” A drastic solution? Perhaps, but it indicates something that God takes seriously.
Dear God, all we can do is cry out “Please Help”. Thank You. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 